Minneapoliticans feel the city is being persecuted by Republican
legislators because this city elects no Republicans. Though I didn't
spend this session at the Capitol I'm sure there is more to it than
that.
When I campaigned for Denn Evans for State Rep 60B last year I tried to
point out to voters that the city needs the good will of Representatives
from other parts of the state, especially with the upcoming
redistricting and further shifting of power from the city to the
suburbs. We need Representatives who understand suburban legislators'
perspectives and who can effectively communicate ours to them. Party is
less important than mutual respect tolerating other's perspectives.
Unfortunately the hyperpolarization at the Legislature and in this city
make that practically impossible. Look at the suburb-bashing posts on
this reflector; suburbanites are stereotyped as SUV-loving,
community-shunning, nature-despoiling, uncompassionate self-seekers.
Maybe racists and homophobes too.
If our city legislators carry those stereotypes and an accompanying smug
self-righteous to the Capitol, small wonder they don't win us many
friends there.
I chatted today with the Ben Bowman, the young Republican who challenged
Phyllis Kahn last year. He pointed out that had he had been elected to
the 59B seat then he could have been a youthful, energetic voice for
Minneapolis in the House Republican caucus--where the power was. Maybe
he would not have sought the same accomodations that a DFLer would have,
but he would have had a voice for us where it counted and he might have
helped find resolutions less disruptive to our programs and tax
situation--assuming, of course, that our city officials would have
deigned to talk with him!
The tragedy of the pressurized bell jar we call Minneapolis DFL politics
is that participants don't realize how off-norm and out of touch it is
with much of the state. It invites caricature and--because of its
adversarialness--it invites adversarialness back.
Alan Shilepsky
Downtown
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